Sinagoga di Gorizia

The Synagogue of Gorizia, located in the ancient ghetto of the San Giovanni district, is the oldest in the region and represents one of the most significant sites in local Jewish history. The first traces of the community date back to the 14th century, but it was only at the end of the 15th century that Jews settled permanently in the city. The first oratory was built in 1699, replaced in 1756 by the public synagogue that still exists today. The building, of Ashkenazi rite, features a sober style with neoclassical elements: the main hall, oriented toward Jerusalem, houses the Aron Haqodesh and the Bimah, while a wooden gallery runs along the entire perimeter. On the exterior, five windows symbolize the books of the Torah. During the Second World War, the Gorizia community was almost entirely deported, but the synagogue remained a place of memory and identity. Due to its vitality, Gorizia was called "the little Jerusalem on the Isonzo".